The Butler weekly times., 1887-10-05
CARLISLE ON DEMOCRACY.
lie Gives a Number Of Reasons For Its
Continuance In Power.

Mr.. John G. Carlisle, speaker O
tn, ,ast house of representatives
comes to the defense of the demo
cratic party in the October numbe
of the "Forum," which is shortly &
sppear. The article is a direct re
ply to Governor Foraker's recent il
rational utterancss. Among th'
reasons Mr.. Carlisle gives why thu
democratic party should be retained
in powers are the following:
"Much has already been done dur
ing the present administration to re
claim lands conditionally granted te
railroads and other corporations, to
annul fraudulent entries, to prevent
unlawful enclosures and to protect
the timber and minerals upon the
public domain; but the work is still
incomplete, and it will require addi-
tional Legislation and constant vigil
ance upon the part of those charged
with the administration of the laws
to prevent the improper appropria-
tion of a large part of the most val
liable territory belonging to the gov
ernment. In order to do this the
cooperation Of the Legislative and ex
ecutive departments is absolutely
necessary, and past experience has
shown that this cooperation. except
to limited extent, could not be Sc
cured until after democratic admin
istration was inaugurated.
1.-THE foundation of the existing
system, under which immense landed
estates have been acquired by foreign
and domestic interpretations and
syndicates, were laid by the republl-
can party, and the fraudulent prac-
tices which have despoiled the pub
lie domain of its most fertile and val |
uable sections were begun and con-
tinued while republican officials alone
were charged with the duty of en-
forcing the laws and protecting the
interests of the government and peo-
pie.
Even now, when the magnitude of
the evil is almost universally recog-
nized; the demand for immediate re-
form is urgently pressed by the
homeless labor Of the country, the
republican senate either refuses to
act at ALL or proceeds slowly or re-
auetantly to the consideration of the
subject On the other hand, the
democratic house has been earnest
and active in ito efforts to secure1 .
such changes in the laws as will ,
dedicate the public lands to actual
settlers under the homestead law.
and has even gone SO far as to amend a..
The rules in order to give such meas.
ures preference over other business d.
Another most important question $
Mr.. Carlisle holds is the reduction of !
the revenue and taxation. He saws: !
''The only debatable question is. !
n what manner shall the revenue and
a1ation be reduceds Upon this
question the two political parties are
hvided, although there are some re- i'
who are inclined to take G
he democratic view, and some dem 8,
'crats who favor the republican pol $,
cy. 1t is clear that it is possible to p
'educe the revenue without reducing tc
he taxation, and equally clear that 1
Is possible to reduce taxation to a =
ertain extent without reducing the D
evenue. The rates of taxation upon
nported goods might be made so
Ugh that all importations would
ease, and the, government would
aus be prevented from collecting b,
ny revenue whatever from that to
ource, but this would not diminish sa
'xaton upon the people. On the
'ntrary it would greatly increase 20
Heir burdens, but they would be bu
'mpelled to pay the whole tribute as
the domestic producer of the du.
able goods, instead of paying ge
rt OF it to the government, as thew pc
D now" 70,
Mr.. Carlisle thinks the democratic re,
an the best. He says: th,
ITO reduce both revenue and tax his
~ ..A 4 l.